Low cost at high price

Budget airline Ryanair has announced an increase in baggage fees of five euros during peak times, with significantly higher fees for bags checked-in last minute.

14.03.2012

(CS) Budget airline Ryanair has announced an increase in baggage fees of five euros during peak times, with significantly higher fees for bags checked-in last minute.

While the cost of carrying a regular 15kg bag will see an increase of five euros to 25 euros during high season travel, it will cost passengers 100 euros if they have to check in a bag not booked when purchasing the ticket online. This mainly applies to travellers with excess hand-luggage.

The price for the last-minute 20kg bag soars from 50 euros to 105 euros. These fees apply to the first piece of luggage only and are higher for second pieces of baggage.

Fees for bags booked during low season running from October to May, excluding Christmas, will remain at 15 euros, though there is also an increase to 60 euros from 35 euros when booking the bag at the airport.

Additionally, passengers who have forgotten to print their boarding card will now have to pay 60 euros for the service at the airport in comparison to 20 euros prior to the changes.

The price changes will apply to all bookings made after December 15 and will mainly affect the summer holiday period and Christmas 2012.

The fee increase comes after Ryanair announced a drop in passenger numbers of around 8% in November. A further decline in passenger numbers is expected and Ryanair has decreased its fleet to 80 aircraft carriers due to increases in petrol prices.

It is not the first time that the Irish budget airline has come under criticism for its bolt-on fees. Earlier this year UK consumer watchdog Which? revealed that between 2004 and 2011 Ryanair's credit card fees had increased by an incredible 1,400%.